Sandbag



NOV.. 4, 1952 W @CE-RQ 2,616,467

SANDBAG 4 Filed Jan. 7, 1949 patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SANDBAG William Cicero, St. Paul, Minn. Application January 7, 1949, Serial No. 69,718

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to an improvement in sand bag wherein it is desired to provide a simple and eflicient means of carrying sand in a vehicle for use in an emergency.

During icy and snowy weather cars are often` unable to obtain traction when starting from a 'slippery surface. If the car is travelling upon a slight grade, one or both of the drive Wheels of the vehicle will often spin about without moving the vehicle. Often a slight push or start lwill give the vehicle sufficient impetus to continue motion. However, unless the driver of the vehicle is assisted in some manner, it is often impossible vfor him to get under way alone.

The object of the present invention lies in the provision of a bag designed to contain a supply of sand. This bag is carried in the rear of the vehicle and is of some assistance in weighting the rear end of the vehicle over the drive wheels.

The bag is provided with an opening in one end through which the bag may be filled, and emptied. By removing the bag from the vehicle trunk and sprinkling a small amount of sand on the icy surface forwardly or rearwardly of the drive wheels, it is often possible to startthe vehiclel other handle is usuallypositoned at the upper edge of the bag. By 4supporting the bag to extend at a slight angle to thehorizontal sand may "be dispensed" from the opening at the open end of the bag and may be effectively distributed over the desired area.

A.V featureA ofthe. present invention lies in the f provision of an elongated bag having right angularly arranged handles and an open end which may be normally closed by a draw string or similar means. This draw string may be tightened to close the opening or virtually close the same when the bag is not in use. By slightly opening the draw string the desired amount of sand may be dispensed.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a bag closure provided with a draw string and in providing a flange secured to one side of the closure foldable exteriorly of the bag when not in use and which may be folded over the sand within the bag to more effective- 1y vclose the bag. This flap acts as an inner seal to prevent the sand from passing through the bag opening.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claim.

In the drawings forming a part of my specication: y

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the design of the cloth or other material used to form the bag.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the bag in readiness for use.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the bag, the position of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the closed end of the bag, the position of the section being indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the open end of the bag, the position of the section being indicated by the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to Figure 5 showing the open end of the bag in closed position.

The bag A is preferably elongated in form and is provided with a closed end and an open end. The bag is preferably formed of two side members I0 and II which are identical in form and are shaped substantially as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. The sides I0 and II include substantially parallel top and bottom edges I2 and I3. The sides I0 and II are tapered as indicated at i4 to oo nnect the parallel sides I2 and I3 with the closed end I5. The parallel sides I2 and I3 are connected by rounded or tapering connecting edges I6 and Il to the parallel sides I9 and 2l] of a substantially straight end portion 2I. The edge 22 of the side Ill is at substantially right angles to the parallel bag sides I2 and I3.

The sides I and II of the bag are placed in superimposed relation with the outer surfaces of these sides in contacting relation. The bag sides are stitched together marginally by a row of stitching 23 which extends entirely about the periphery of the bag with the exception of across the projecting end 2| of the bag parallel to the square edges 22. Before the stitching 23 is applied a handle 24 is placed between the bag sides I0 and II so that the ends 25 of the handle are substantially flush with the ends I5 of the bag sides I0 and II. Similarly a handle 26 is inA serted between the bag sides I and II with theA ends 21 of the handle substantially flush with the edges l2 of the bag sides. The row of stitching 23 eXtends through the bag sides and through the handle ends inserted therebetween so as to anchor the handle ends in the seam between the bag sides as indicated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.

A hein is next provided at the open end of the bag so as to provide a passage for accommodation of a draw string 29. The extremities 22 of the bag sides I and Il are folded inwardly and a row of stitching 39 close to and parallel with the side extremities 22 connects the side edges 22 to the body of the bag at a point spaced from the folded edge 3|. A rectangular iiap 32 is inserted between the side edge 22 of one bag side I0 and the portion of the bag side which the edge overlies and is anchored in place by the stitching 30 as is clearly indicated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings. This fiap is foldable outwardly of the bag as indicated in Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings, or may fold down over the contents of the bag adjacent the opposite side Il of the bag if desired to assist the closing of the bag.

After the stitching is completed the bag is inverted so that the outer surfaces of the bag sides are outermost and so that the handles 24 and 26 project from the bag seams in the manner illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. The dr-aw string 29 is inserted in the hem at the open end of the bag as illustrated in Figures 2,15, and 6 of the drawings, if this draw string is not a1- ready in place at the time the hem is formed.

In filling the bag A the flap 32 is preferably pulled out through the open end of the bag while the draw string 29 is untied, the open end of the bag thus being in open position. The sand is then inserted into the bag to a level just below the open bag end as illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. The flap 32 is next tucked into the bag opening so as to overlie the sand 33 within the bag. The ap 32 then extends from the side l!! to which it is secured to lie inwardly of and adjacent the bag side Il. When the nap 32 is in this position it is possible that a small amount of sand may roll through the bag opening but there will not be any extensive leakage from the bag under ordinary handling. Obviously the draw string 29 is tightened to close the `bag end when the bag is not in use.

When it is desired to use the sand the draw string 29 is released to some extent so that the opening will be of suitable size. The ap 32 is preferably swung out of closing position. By inclining the bag and shaking the same slightly the desired amount of sand will fall from the bag and the direction in which the sand is dropped may be readily controlled by means of the handles 24 and 26.

If desired the draw string 29 may be fastened in a selected position by a draw cord fastener such as that illustrated in Patent No. 1,830,014, so as to eliminate the necessity of tying and untying the draw strings. Such a fastener is indicated in general in Figure 2 of the drawings and is particularly useful on a device of the type in question which is usually used in cold weather Where it might otherwise be difcult to tie knots with the fingers.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my sand bag, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

A sand bag comprising a pair of similarly formed panels, said panels being elongated and having longitudinal edges which are generally parallel throughout their central portions, rsaid edges curving gently ytoward each other at each end thereof, an outwardly curved end connecting the edges at one end of said panels, a neck portion between said edges at the other end thereof, said neck portion being narrow relative to the width of said panels, means connecting said panels together along said longitudinal edges and along said curved end, means connecting the neck portions of each panel doubled upon themselves to form a hem, a drawstring in said hem encircling said neck portions, ahandle secured to said rounded end of the bag and projecting outwardly therefrom, and a second handle secured to the bag along one pair of connected longitudinal edges of said panels and projecting outwardly therefrom, the locus of said second handle being approximately midway between the ends of said panels.

WILLIAM CICERO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

